One of the many wonders of the digital age is that it’s never been easier to locate advice on how to live a happier, more productive life. A seemingly never ending library of self-help literature is now just a Google search away.

The only problem with the wealth of information available online is that not all of it is true. Just about anyone can call themselves a life coach. And literally anyone can call themselves a self-help blogger.
The result is a lot of self-help advice that isn’t necessarily all that helpful.

Should you find yourself embarking upon a self-improvement journey, an excellent place to start is therefore learning just whose advice you shouldn’t be listening to. Here are seven of the most popular self-help myths currently circulating online.

Needless to say, they should all be ignored.

Self-Improvement is All about Positive Thinking
While there’s certainly no denying the power of positive thinking, some people greatly overestimate just what they can get from it. Positive thinking only leads to genuine change if it’s accompanied by positive action. In other words, sitting on the couch all day visualizing success isn’t going to make you successful. You need to actually get up and do something.

Self-Improvement Means Making Major Changes
Some people are put off the idea of self-improvement as they believe that it requires making major life changes. In actuality, self-improvement can mean anything from losing a few pounds to trying a new career. There is no minimum or maximum size to the changes that you can make. In fact, one of the most effective ways to improve your life is to simply make small changes, one at a time.

Self-Improvement is Only for People with Terrible Lives
While it’s certainly true that many people turn to self-help when they find themselves in need of it, this is by no means a requirement. The only people that cannot benefit from self-improvement are those who are perfect. And there are no perfect people. Regardless of where you find yourself in life, you can benefit from actively trying to improve yourself. It’s all about choosing the right areas to target.

Self-Improvement Won’t Work on Me
Some people believe that they are beyond help. Thankfully, this is completely untrue. Provided you’re alive, you’re capable of improving your life. Other people believe that their problems are somehow unique and this is equally untrue. Regardless of what you are going through, millions of other people have gone through it too. In other words, humans all worry about the same things. If it’s bothering you, there’s a book on it somewhere.

You Must Pay Somebody to Help You
From life coaching to book publishing, there’s a lot of money in the self-help industry. But that doesn’t mean that you have to pay money to benefit from it. There’s an endless supply of completely free information available both online and in libraries. And you can benefit from said information without ever paying a penny. A lack of funds should not be used as an excuse not to better yourself.

You Can Buy All the Answers
A related myth surrounds the idea that there’s a person out there with all the answers and all you have to do is find him. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to solving your problems or unlocking your true potential. There is no magical product, it simply does not exist. Self-improvement comes from within. You can pay people to tell you the best course of action, but you’re still the person that’s going to have to actually do it.

Self-Improvement is a Temporary Fix
Some people go to a seminar or purchase a self-help book, experience temporary benefits and then find themselves slipping back into their old problems. Such people often go on to believe that self-help can only ever offer a temporary fix. The reality is that self-help can help you throughout your life but you have to keep working on it. Self-improvement is kind of like a diet, you need to stick with it or you’ll end up right back where you started.

About the Author
Kersti Kroon has a keen interest in hypnotherapy as a means of healing and frequently blogs about it.